


This is How

by KaraMergen



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-09-30
Packaged: 2017-12-28 01:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaraMergen/pseuds/KaraMergen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sibyl System doesn't exist, Kagari and Choe are a pair of happy bickering co-workers, and Midou is (still) a confused geek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is How

**Author's Note:**

> Kagari/Choe is totally not a crack pairing, you guys. It so does make sense.

On Monday, Midou introduces the new tester to Choe.

"This is Kagari Shuusei-kun," he says. "Choe Guseong-san."

"Nice to meet you," the young man says in a tone that is kind of polite and kind of lazily impudent at the same time. He is short and slender, and his unruly hair is dyed bright red, and all in all, he looks like a high school delinquent stuck in an overly proper environment, but Midou knows for a fact that he is skilled – talented, even. Still, Kagari's vaguely irreverent voice makes him wince, yet weirdly enough, Choe doesn't look disturbed. In fact, his eyes are literally glowing with delight – which is odd, considering that they are prosthetic (a result of an accident that is never discussed at their office, not even behind Choe's back) and technically shouldn't be able to convey any sort of emotion at all. Midou decides to write it off as a trick of light.

When the introductions are over and Kagari is sent off to his new desk, Choe gives Midou a long look and a wide smile. "You know, Midou-san," he starts slowly. "You are a great co-worker and generally an excellent person who knows how to make good choices. I'm truly fortunate to have you as a colleague."

"Oh," Midou replies, utterly dumbstruck by this unexpected accolade. "Is that so. Thank you, Choe-san."

Less than a week later, Kagari and Choe start fighting over… things.

Midou doesn't really get it, but the young tester appears to be perpetually displeased with something, and Choe - well, truth to be told, Choe doesn't seem to mind Kagari's insolence at all, which is twice as confusing. Eventually, Midou takes it upon himself to sort it out and approaches Kagari during lunch. 

"This is just a thought, Kagari-kun," he begins as tactfully as he can, and Kagari eyes him curiously in return. "You may think this is none of my business, but I'm somewhat responsible for you, as the one who recommended you, and, well – I believe you should be a tad more… respectful towards Choe-san." He pauses to take a deep breath. "I know we all have our… personal differences, but – Choe-san is your senior colleague. He is a genius. I'm not even kidding about that. He is."

"Yeah?" Kagari lets out a deep sigh of discontent. "Is that so? Then why is he stuck here, of all places? I mean - it's a great company and all, I'm not saying anything, but shouldn't a genius be more into stuff like. I don't know. _Pineapple Inc._? Wouldn't they love someone like him?"

Midou simply shrugs. "To quote Choe-san himself, he doesn't like to attract too much attention."

Kagari takes a long, thoughtful sip from his teacup. "For someone who dislikes attention, he can be annoying as all fuck." Midou almost chokes on his tomato sandwich, and Kagari waves his hand apologetically. "Sorry, sorry. I'll do something about it. I swear I don't want to trouble you."

As some more time passes, Midou concludes that maybe Choe and Kagari's peculiar way of conversing is merely something one needs to accept as a fact of life, much like the existence of marsupial mammals. Still, he finds it puzzling that in spite of their discrepancies, they never actually attempt to distance themselves from each other; on the contrary, it only takes Kagari a grand total of eight days to switch his desks with Sugawara Shouko and move closer to Choe's workplace, and Sugawara agrees without a second thought. She is quite an oddball herself, Midou thinks (he has seen her outside of the office before, sporting a neon pink Sweet Lolita dress), but she does have a good head on her shoulders, and Midou decides to discuss it with her.

"Choe-san and Kagari-kun?" Sugawara scratches her round chin as Midou explains his concerns to her. "Um, Midou-san, do you, by any chance, know what _bickering couple_ stands for?"

"Yes," Midou nods, then stops short. "No. Sugawara-san, do you – no. No, I don't think – "

Sugawara glances emphatically at their co-workers who are busy arguing energetically over something that looks like a popular _WeTube_ video, of all things. "This, Midou-san, is precisely what I mean."

Midou regretfully tells himself that maybe he shouldn't trust the opinion of someone who thinks that Lolita fashion is a good idea at this day and age.

Later that night, he ends up working extra hours at a different part of the office, and when he returns to the main room to pick some of his personal belongings up before leaving, he is treated to a rather surreal sight. Choe is, for the lack of a better term, practically pinned to the desk, his auburn hair is a disheveled mess, and Kagari, whose raspberry-colored tie is hanging forlornly from the chair, is kissing Choe's neck fervently. A sound not unlike a squeak escapes Midou's dry mouth. "Good evening, Midou-san," Choe greets him ever so composedly. Midou responds with a very mechanical bow and closes the door. An eternity and a half later, he finally reaches the end of the corridor and walks outside. Not much to his surprise (because nothing can truly surprise him anymore), Sugawara Shouko is there, smoking a thin cherry-flavored cigarette and gazing poetically at the full November moon. 

"Hi, Midou-san," she says, taking another puff from her cigarette. "You're late tonight."

"Stuff happened," he answers lifelessly. "Say, Sugawara-san… this is a bit random, but what do you usually do when you encounter things that… don't make a lot of sense?"

She twirls the cigarette between her chubby manicured fingers. "Normally I just tell myself that all people are different, and that the world would be rather dull otherwise," she explains. "Or do you mean things like ghosts and aliens?"

"No," he shakes his head. "Not aliens. But thanks, anyway."

A chill autumn breeze whistles through the leaves, and Sugawara shivers a little. "I suppose you're tired, but how about we have some coffee?" she suddenly suggests. "There's a coffeehouse called _Spooky Boogie_ not far away from here. It's… a bit on the gothic side, and I'm not sure how you feel about that, but at least they serve coffee that is actually drinkable."

Midou cocks his head to one side. A spontaneous coffeehouse date with Sugawara sounds like a strange plan, but somehow, he doesn't hate the idea at all. Perhaps it has something to do with Sugawara's philosophically soothing voice, or maybe he is actually just sick of being a single geek at the age of twenty-seven. "That," he agrees, "would be quite wonderful."


End file.
